Enchanted
by Srahil
Summary: Chieko's mother promises not to sell Amamizu-kan for one year while the Amars save up money for a down payment-but will one year be long enough? Kuranosuke and Tsukimi continue to work on their fashion line and their feelings for each other grow, but sometimes feelings can be confusing, especially when mixed with the stress of starting their own brand and trying to save their home.
1. Princess

_AN: This is my first time writing a fanfic with any level of seriousness. My goal with this story is to maintain the tone and characters of Kuragehime while exploring aspects of their relationship beyond what has been provided in the anime &manga. That being said, this project is going to be long and at some points slowly paced, because I feel that is one of the things that makes the manga so sweet and charming. Also, I don't know where this will go in the future, rating is subject to change, especially in later (waaaay later) chapters. Also, I've found a beta reader **(NamesAreForFriends)** and received some helpful reviews. I'd like to especially thank **StopTalkingAtMe** for such a detailed review that pointed out so much stuff that I missed.  
_

 **Chapter One**

Beautiful. A princess. That was the first thing Tsukimi noticed when she met Kuranosuke, on the night he helped her save Clara. He was tall and slender and confident in his western boots and long pink wig. She continued to notice it when he would visit Amamizu-kan in his endless collection of cute skirts and form-fitting blouses. All those times that he visited, he would talk to the Amars as though it was a perfectly normal thing for a stylish like him to be doing.

She noticed in the evenings, too, when he would sit in her room, his wig discarded haphazardly on her floor beside him. Sometimes he would close his eyes and lean back against her bed and just look so perfectly comfortable and at peace—like this was the place he belonged, rather than in a busy downtown shop or a room filled with lavish furniture and dazzling outfits. Other times he would be wide-eyed and jittery as he flipped through her sketches and rattled on about the dresses they could make and how everyone would know their name. Was it him or the idea of being noticed by all of those fashionable people that made Tsukimi's heart flutter and her breath catch in her throat?

He was also brave, Tsukimi noticed. Much braver than me, she thought, thinking back on how powerless she had been to save Clara, and then Amamizu-kan. If Kuranosuke hadn't been there to fight for them, and in his own way teach them to fight too, they would have all just given up. They would have had to move away, separate themselves, possibly return to the homes of their parents. Amamizu-kan and the Amars would be no more without Kuranosuke.

And why? Why did he help me to begin with? she wondered. And after that, he came back. He didn't have to, she certainly didn't expect him to. But he had, and she just didn't understand it at all.

"I wanted to see you, Tsukimi-chan."

Tsukimi could feel a blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks. She glanced from Kuranosuke to her sketchbook, then turned to stare out at the night sky. When was the last time someone said that to her? Had anyone ever wanted to see Tsukimi? Not that she could remember.

With a sigh she turned her gaze back to the floor where Kuranosuke was sleeping. He was all at once the most kind, brave, and beautiful person she had ever met. More of a princess than she would ever be. Well-connected and popular, he could probably be anywhere, doing anything, but lately he chose to spend most of his time with Tsukimi and the Amars. Thinking about it, she could feel a tightening in her chest. Nobody besides her parents had ever made her feel special, like she could be a princess too. Somehow, Kuranosuke did.

In her sketchbook she added a few more lines, trying to get his hair falling over his face just right. She didn't have much practice drawing people—they weren't usually as interesting as jellyfish—but there was something about Kuranosuke that demanded her attention. She knew that she could draw him a million times and each time something would still be missing, but she also knew that she couldn't stop trying.

She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. It was late, but she wanted to finish her sketch while she had the chance. She stretched her hands out and massaged her wrists for a moment before returning to her task. When she finished, she carefully crawled out of bed, making sure not to step too close to Kuranosuke or make any noise. She slid her sketchbook back onto the shelf with all of the others and left her room to go say goodnight to Clara.

"Hi Clara," she said. quietly so nobody else would be disturbed. "The sky is really beautiful tonight, isn't it?" She turned away to look through the open window across from Clara's tank and then sat down beside Clara and leaned her head against the wall. "Let's do our best to stay here at Amamizu-kan, no matter how hard we have to work, right Clara?" Tsukimi smiled as she imagined her sweet spotted jelly responding to her.

"Don't worry, Tsukimi-chan!" Clara would say, floating calmly through an underwater field. As she closed her eyes, the scene became more vivid and the light, cool breeze coming through the window reminded her of the ocean.

"Just for a second," she murmured to Clara, and then she dozed off.


	2. Morning

_Obligatory AN: My goal is to keep to a fairly reliable schedule of two mini-chapters per week, one focusing on Tsukimi and the other focusing on Kuranosuke. In this chapter we get to see Chieko. I am a little worried about getting the characterization of all of the other Amars right… but I've done my best! Please Enjoy!_

 **Chapter Two**

"Ugh, Tsu...Tsukimi..." Kuranosuke yawned as he sat up. "Why is it so bright?" He rubbed at his eyes and then blinked a few times as they adjusted to the sunlight that was hitting him directly in the face. He looked around the room. Tsukimi was gone, but the window was open with the curtains pulled neatly to the side and her bedside lamp was on.

When he glanced over at the mirror on the other side of the room, he was startled by his own reflection. He had fallen asleep without taking off his make-up or changing his clothes. Dark smudges of eyeliner and mascara surrounded his eyes, his shirt was all wrinkled, and his hair was standing up at odd angles. "Gross." He ran his hands over his hair, trying to tame it at least a little. Then he grabbed his wig off the floor and straightened it out as well as he could before pulling it lazily onto his head. They all know it's not my real hair anyway, he figured.

As he stood up, he adjusted his shirt and noticed his unbalanced chest. It had been a long time since he had last fallen asleep in his forms, and the fact that one had managed to come unattached and slip out of his bra was oddly amusing to him. He bent over and shook his blanket until the soft gel fell out, bouncing gently against the floor. "Gotcha!" He grabbed it and quickly slid it back into his bra, doing his best to adjust it as he headed towards the door and into the hall.

Chieko was the first of the Amars to see him. "Ahh, Kurako, you spent the night again?" She was smiling but her eyes were sharp and fixed uncomfortably on Kuranosuke's face.

"Uh, yeah… Tsukimi and I were working on designs and I must've dozed off while she sketched… is everything okay?" He reached up and tentatively touched his face before wrapping his arms around his chest.

Chieko laughed and he forced a smile. "I was going to ask you the same thing, you look like a wreck! But I guess even stylish girls like you don't just wake up beautiful. It must take a lot of work..."

Kuranosuke gritted his teeth and decided to let her blunt reply slide. She probably hadn't meant to insult him. This is just how the Amars are, he thought. "Yeah, I was just going to go wash up now. I can't believe I slept in all this make-up, my poor skin!"

"Well, I can't keep my darling Honoka waiting." Chieko smiled at him and walked past him towards her room.

Kuranosuke continued on to the bathroom, where he washed his face and did his best to smooth out his outfit and hair. Then he went to look for Tsukimi. According to his phone, it was before seven, and they had stayed up so late. How did she get up so early? he wondered.

It didn't take long for him to find her, not awake at all. She was somehow sleeping in an awfully uncomfortable looking upright position in the corner between Clara's tank and the wall. She was slumped over so that her head was resting against the glass of the aquarium and, Kuranosuke noticed, there was some saliva leaking out of her open mouth.

He sighed and crouched down beside her. Carefully, he slid one of his arms behind her shoulders and the other beneath her legs. Tsukimi was nowhere near the lightest girl he had ever carried, and he groaned a little as he lifted her up, but it wasn't like she was so heavy that he minded. In fact, the weight of her body felt good against his chest and he found himself biting his lip to keep himself from having any further thoughts about her as a girl or anything besides a friend. _She's a NEET, a virgin, an_ _Amar_ _,_ he reminded himself. He tried awkwardly to hold her as loosely against himself as possible and walked quickly towards her room. After lightly placing her on her bed, he turned to look at himself in the mirror.

"Why are you getting so worked up?" he asked himself in a frantic whisper. The image in the mirror stared back at him intently, but offered no answers. Exasperated, he pulled off his wig and started to unbutton his shirt. It's way too early... Sleep will help, he told himself as he slipped off his skirt and settled back down onto the nest of pillows and blankets that Tsukimi had provided for him the night before.


	3. Designs

_AN: Thank you Falsejellyfish and Roheline for pointing out that chs 3 & 4 were the same. I messed up in doc manager and had the text for chapter four labeled as chapter four. It is fixed now._

Chapter Three

Kuranosuke and Tsukimi barely left her room at all that day. They slept in, got up briefly to scavenge for breakfast, and then returned to the work they had left unfinished the night before.

"How about this one?" Tsukimi asked, holding up a drawing of a bulbous blue skirt with a lot of tulle.

"Oh! That one is so cute!" Kuranosuke's eyes got wide and he clapped his hands together. "What kind of jellyfish is that?"

"The Rhopilema Nomadica, commonly referred to as the Nomad Jellyfish, it is indigenous to the waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In it's mouth-arms it has vermicular filaments coated in venomous stinging cells, making it one of the more dangerous species..." Tsukimi tried her best to summarize the important aspects that she felt Kuranosuke might be interested in. Typically when she talked in depth about jellyfish, people's eyes glazed over and they nodded along, not fully grasping what she was saying. Lately though, things had been different. Kuranosuke's ability to follow her lectures had increased dramatically. She could tell he was always listening intently, doing his best to understand. He was taking everything seriously now, Tsukimi knew, so their line would be as detailed and perfect as possible.

"Nice, I really like this one and think it will definitely have a place in our initial line. Do you think we should give it a top to make it a dress or just leave it as a skirt?"

Tsukimi knew that her input into the fashion side of their discussions was limited severely by her lack of knowledge, but she had gotten more serious too. She had spent some time researching different fabrics and spent time each day looking at dresses online to add to her inspiration. Every time she would find one that resembled a jellyfish, she would try sketching it as is before transforming it. She appreciated that despite her limitations, Kuranosuke always took the time to seek her opinion.

"We've done a lot of full dresses already," Tsukimi said, glancing over at the bulletin board that displayed their favorite designs. Almost all of them were dresses. There was maybe one other stand alone skirt.

"Yeah, that's a good point!" Kuranosuke stood up and took the sketch from her. "Let's just keep this one as-is. Having a few skirts like this will add diversity to our line."

Tsukimi nodded, watching as he pinned her sketch to the board. Every day they had been working together to come up with at least two really good designs that they could agree on and the board was filling rapidly.

Kuranosuke must have been thinking something similar, because when he turned back around she could see the determination across his features. Will I ever be able to catch this side of him? she wondered. Mainly her only chances to sketch him were when he was sleeping. There was no way she could possibly get away with it without him noticing if he were awake.

"I think this weekend we should take these designs to Nisha and see which ones she thinks we can be made quickly and at a low cost. We've done a lot of work already, but it is time we start pumping out some actual dresses."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Tsukimi agreed. Nisha was smart and realistic. Tsukimi knew that between just the two of them they could easily get swept away, but Nisha was knowledgeable and blunt. Her input would definitely be a huge help in the decision making process.

"Wow, it's getting so late," Kuranosuke said, as he glanced at the time on his phone. "It's nearly six, we've been locked up in here, working hard all day!"

Oh no, I've wasted his entire day! Tsukimi thought to herself, her eyes going wide. "I'm sorry, sorry! You must have so much stuff to do!" How am I going to make this up to him?

Across the room Kuranosuke sighed. "Tsukimi, it's fine. It's not like you made me stay over or anything, calm down..."

"I'm sorry! I will calm down! Sorry!" Tsukimi stood up and put her sketchbook away. Kuranosuke was always so understanding of her, even when she burdened him like this.

"No, really, you don't have to be sorry or anything. I was just thinking we haven't had anything except for cereal and junk to eat today… maybe we should go out for dinner."

"Oh, right!" Tsukimi straightened her sweatshirt and smoothed her braids a little. "I think Chieko said something about making tonkatsu tonight. I am sure that the Amars will understand if you want to stay, since you've been working so hard to help us save Amamizu-kan."

"Tonkatsu..." Kuranosuke paused, an odd expression on his face. When he noticed her staring at him, he smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds delicious!"

Tsukimi couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about his smile seemed forced. She wondered if maybe he had wanted to leave but felt obligated to stay. Still, he seemed happy enough to follow her out into the hall and down to the kitchen.


	4. Dinner with the Amars

**Chapter Four**

Kuranosuke followed Tsukimi to the kitchen quietly. He wasn't sure why he was feeling disappointed, but he definitely was. It sat in his stomach like a pit and made him question whether or not he even had an appetite anymore. It's not like I'm being sent home or anything, he reminded himself. Still… I wish we could've gone out so I could change back into my normal clothes...

"Kurako, Tsukimi-dono!" Mayaya was the first to notice them, or at least the first to say anything to them at any rate. Banba and Jiji were sitting together at the table quietly and Chieko was standing at the stove, facing away from them. "How have you fared in your mighty quest to save Amamizu-kan and the Amars? Have you come to replenish your strength with some of Chieko's delicious tonkatsu?"

Kuranosuke watched as Tsukimi's eyes lit up and she engaged with the Amars in a way she never really did with him. He wondered whether she would ever like him enough to show him this much excitement when talking to him about anything other than jellyfish.

"Kurako dear," Chieko called to him, breaking him out of the embarrassing thoughts he was experiencing. "You two were being so quiet up there all this time that we didn't even realize you were still here. So, there isn't a place set for you at the table." Kuranosuke nearly expected her to kick him out, he wasn't actually an Amar, after all, and didn't really have any right to just barge in on their meals all the time-this much they had made pretty clear. But instead she turned and smiled at him. "You'll have to grab yourself a plate from the cupboard."

"Oh, right!" He eagerly complied, grabbing a plate and cup from the cupboard. Tsukimi had already sat down at her regular place, but she and Mayaya both moved down so there would be space for him beside Tsukimi at the end of the table. Across from him, Banba was sitting perfectly still, a contented smile across her face. Kuranosuke wasn't sure, but he figured her eyes were probably closed and she was enjoying the ambrosial fragrance of Chieko's cooking. Jiji was flipping through a magazine that seemed to be purely composed of photos of old men. Where do they even get this stuff? Kuranosuke wondered to himself. The extent to which the Amars were capable of obsessing over the things they enjoyed had stopped being so surprising early on, but he still couldn't really grasp how they found so much material to fuel their obsessions.

Someone out there collects and prints a magazine full of old dudes… The thought of her—some NEET similar to Jiji, but clearly more socially capable, enough to actually compile and distribute that magazine—made him chuckle.

"K-Kurako..." Tsukimi always fumbled over the false name he used when pretending to be an actual woman in front of the other Amars. He actually found it slightly endearing, if he gave himself the chance to think about it. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah?" He glanced around and noticed that all of the Amars—except maybe Banba—were staring at him. "Why?"

"You just looked a bit strange." Tsukimi shrugged. "You were staring off into space and laughing… we thought maybe… uh… maybe something was wrong..."

"Oh, sorry about that… I was just… thinking about something. Nothing important."

"Uhhh..." Tsukimi looked down at her hands for a moment, visibly unsure of what she should say next. Kuranosuke wished he knew how to get Tsukimi, and even the other Amars, to feel more comfortable around him. With Tsukimi it was especially challenging since she seemed equally uncomfortable with both his elaborate skirts and dresses and his more casual male looks. "Good," she finally added, obviously doing her best to make eye-contact in addition to smiling at him.

"Okay girls," Chieko interrupted the awkward silence that had fallen over the table. "The food is almost ready… Kurako-chan, would you mind helping me bring the sides to the table while I add the finishing touches to the main course?"

"No, of course not!" Kuranosuke just about jumped out of his seat. He always made sure to help out eagerly around Amamizu-kan so the Amars wouldn't think he was just leeching their resources or taking advantage of their hospitality in any way. "And after dinner I can wash up the dishes."

"And I'll help," Tsukimi added. Chieko nodded in approval at this suggestion and went about directing Kuranosuke wordlessly to which dishes he should take. Chieko hadn't been stingy with the sides and it took him two trips from the counter to the table. Then Chieko came through with the tonkatsu itself.

"Thank you Chieko-chan" Tsukimi said, as the food was placed on the table.

"A FINE FEAST," Mayaya announced, readying her chopsticks. "Worthy of Liu Bei! Thank you Chieko-sama for the long hours you so selflessly labored to prepare us such a feast!" Mayaya continued her commendation of Chieko's meal and Kuranosuke settled back into his spot at Tsukimi's side. Banba and Jiji took in the feast quietly, though Kuranosuke was sure that the sound of Banba's breathing had increased dramatically as the steaming dishes were set in front of her.

"This looks great, Chieko," Kuranosuke added, once Mayaya had settled down.

Chieko smiled, obviously pleased with the amount of praise she was given over the meal.

After dinner, Kuranosuke kept his word and dutifully cleared the table. The one bright side of doing dishes for the Amars was that they always cleaned their plates well.

"You don't always have to volunteer to do the dishes, you know..." Tsukimi said quietly. She was in the middle of transferring what leftovers there were into a small plastic container.

Does she want me to leave? I have been here a lot… maybe it doesn't matter that I am helping out, I can't just stay here forever and expect them to want me around… "I don't mind."

"At least let me work on these big pans, otherwise you'll be here all night."

I don't really have a problem with that, but I guess she does... "Don't worry, I can scrub them out quickly and be out in no time."

"If you say so..." Tsukimi reached over and took the pan he was holding. She began scraping as much of the remaining food residue as she could into the trash before Kuranosuke grabbed the pan back from her.

"This is fine, I can scrub the rest off..." And he wasn't lying, he immediately started to vigorously scrub the pan. Tsukimi stood by the sink and watched as he quickly scrubbed and then washed all of the dishes. It only took him maybe ten minutes to get them all onto the drying rack.

"I could put them away if you wanted to go..." she said, biting her lower lip.

"Sure, thanks," Kuranosuke nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "See ya."

Do I really make them feel so uncomfortable? Kuranosuke wondered as he left Amamizukan and started walking home. I guess I should leave them alone for a while...


	5. Sketches

**Chapter Five**

Tsukimi was actually surprised when right after finishing up the dishes, Kuranosuke excused himself and left Amamizu-kan. I hope he didn't feel pressured to stay, she thought, remembering the disappointed look he had when she invited him to eat dinner with them. His classes were currently on break and he had spent almost all of his time locked up in her room, working on designs with her. Of course he would want to go home quickly! She berated herself. We aren't exactly the exciting company he is used to…

"Oh, Tsukimi-dono," Chieko said, entering the kitchen. "I was just coming down to turn off the light… I hadn't realized you were still in here—Did that sneaky Kurako abandon you to do all of the dishes on your own!?" Chieko frowned. "It's unusual for her to just run off this quickly, isn't it?"

"She stayed and did the dishes," Tsukimi reassured her. "I've burdened her a lot since she's been out of school... It makes sense that she would be eager to get home." Tsukimi wondered why this simple fact had her feeling all twisted up. As much as she tried to justify it, Kuranosuke's departure that evening had felt rushed and unusual.

"Well, she'll probably be back tomorrow..." Chieko sighed. "At this rate, maybe we should be charging her rent—we are supposed to be buying Amamizu-kan after all… the extra money would help out." Chieko chuckled and shook her head, obviously feeling more lighthearted in the moment than Tsukimi was.

"Do you think we will ever be able to afford it?" Tsukimi voiced her concern at barely a whisper. Kuranosuke had been constantly discouraging her doubtful thoughts, interrupting her excitedly with the promise of success whenever she would even start to bring up the possibility of failure. But whenever he wasn't around, her mind would quickly go back to the issue. On many occasions since they had decided to buy Amamizu-kan her worries had consumed her—keeping her up all night, wishing she could do something but knowing there really wasn't anything she could do.

"Mother said she won't sell Amamizu-kan as long as we can offer a 30% down payment within a year. It's barely been a month since then… It may seem too optimistic to believe that we can save up that much money, but I think at this point it's too early to tell… At the very least, I know Meijiro-sama is hoping to begin publishing a new series soon… and Mayaya is considering selling some of her collection of Three Kingdoms figurines… It isn't much, but everyone is working hard and making sacrifices..." Chieko placed a reassuring hand on Tsukimi's shoulder. "I hate to admit it, but Kurako makes a good point when she says we shouldn't give up before we start, Tsukimi-chan."

"I guess..." Tsukimi glanced around at the walls and furniture of Amamizu-kan's kitchen. She was the newest of the Amars, but already she felt connected to Amamizu-kan as more than just an apartment. Amamizu-kan was her home, and the Amars were her family. "I just can't imagine being forced to leave Amamizu-kan."

"A year is a long time… None of us want to leave, so I am sure we will all do our best and work our way through this. Nobody is leaving Amamizu-kan."

Tsukimi bit her lips. She was the newest of the Amars and also a liar. If they knew about Kuranosuke, even after all he did to help them, there would be no saving her.

"Don't let it bother you too much right now." Chieko moved around the kitchen as she spoke, tidying things that weren't perfectly in place. "You are working hard and thinking too much about our financial problems just stresses you out. It isn't productive and it's not good for you."

Tsukimi nodded. She understood Chieko's point, but it was so hard to just turn off these thoughts.

"You're still so young…" Chieko sighed. "Too young to look so sad. Trust me, us Amars will be alright, so don't let it get to you. Here, should I pour you a glass of sake to help you sleep?"

"No, thank you though!" Tsukimi smiled. "I'm actually going to go draw for awhile before bed... I don't think the sake would help."

"Not when it makes you pass out right away..." Chieko chuckled. "Goodnight, Tsukimi."

"Goodnight." Tsukimi nodded and left the kitchen.

Upstairs, she pulled out her notebook and fell down onto her bed with a satisfying bounce. She sighed as she flipped through her recent sketches-some of them were of girls she had seen in the street, she had imagined them wearing jellyfish dresses and sat down in cafés and bookshops to draw them. At Kuranosuke's request, she had been working up her courage and going out at least once a week. I'll have to be used to being out and about once our brand launches, she thought to herself, repeating what he had told her many times.

But even at the time, she had known those earlier drawings were just some basic practice drawing the human form. Bodies had gotten a lot easier-they mostly were just dresses with arms and legs coming out-but faces were still hard for her. This was most evident in her drawings of Kuranosuke. Some of them just had smudges and eraser marks where faces had been drawn over and over again until she finally just gave up. Others, she found, were hardly recognizable.

With a sigh, she settled back against the wall and started on a blank page.


	6. Coffee Date

**Chapter 6**

Whats up? A simple enough text, but from Ayane, a friend he hadn't talked to in a few weeks at least. Kuranosuke stretched as he crossed his room from his vanity to his closet. In the back of his mind, he was trying to think of something to say-it wasn't like he planned on just blowing off his friends. He did feel bad that he had been too busy to see most of his old circle. Busy, and yet he had spent the past two days doing nothing. Are you ignoring me?

No. Getting dressed. What's up?

The next thing Kuranosuke knew, his phone was ringing. "Hey?" he said, a little shocked by her sudden call. "What happened to texting?"

"Kura-kun," she sounded giddy. "Guess what just opened in Daikanyama!"

"A store."

"Kuuura-kun, are you upset with me?" Ayane used the cutesy voice that she always teased him in and he found his mood lightening.

"No, go ahead, tell me what opened..."

"A store..." She paused. "But this one is different, Kura-kun, it's a store I think you would like, now that you're into all of that... weird stuff."

"Oh yeah?" Kuranosuke held his phone between his shoulder and his ear so he could hold up a top and skirt he wasn't sure would work together. Hmm, not bad, he thought, with the right bag and heels, this would be an alright outfit.

"Yeah, it's this little place called Rarities. Do you wanna come check it out with me?"

"Sure, we can grab lunch too. I'm starving."

"Cool, meet you at the station?" Ayane asked.

"Sure thing, see you there."

"Kay, byebye!"

Almost immediately after ending the call, his phone started vibrating. Ayane had sent him a selfie of her outfit. He looked it over and tossed the skirt he had planned on wearing to the side. As usual, she was wearing loud patterns in revealing cuts to draw attention to herself. Best not to clash. Kuranosuke glanced through his wardrobe and finally decided on a pair of simple black jeans. It'll be nice to not be dressed up for once... He tossed his wig onto his bed and started transferring the contents of his purse into a small backpack.

On my way now, he sent the text right as he left his house.

 **.**

As usual, Ayane saw Kuranosuke before he saw her. He hadn't even had a chance to say hello before he was engulfed in an excited hug. "Kura-kun!" she practically squealed, drawing the attention of many of the other citizens in the crowded terminal. "I've missed you!" She pouted as he pulled himself out of her arms. "You never stop by or call or even text anymore! Everyone keeps asking where you are and I don't have anything to tell them!"

"I know, I'm sorry..." Kuranosuke did his best to look apologetic. "I've just been kind of busy..." He shrugged.

Ayane rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, but linked her arm through his anyway.

"So, what've you been up to, Ayane-chan?" Kuranosuke looked her over as they walked. Her outfit was exactly the same as it had been in the picture, but in person something was different about her. She was still the excited, giggly girl he had been friends with since elementary school, but something had changed in the few short weeks since their classes had gone on break.

"Kura-kuuun," she whined. "You will never believe what you've been missing..." She continued to talk, but Kuranosuke was caught up in trying to figure out just what it was about her that had changed.

"Your make-up," he mumbled, interrupting a story she was telling about a party he had missed over the weekend. "You've changed your make-up style..." he repeated, noticing the puzzled look on her face. Ayane had always been one to go above and beyond in every aspect of her look-bright, strong patterns, low cuts, big false lashes and even neon colors. But now her look was astonishingly different. The dark, neutral tones of her eyeshadow and mascara gave her a sophisticated, sexier look than Kuranosuke had ever seen her pull off before. Can't believe it took me so long to notice...

"Uh, yeah... I just bought this new smokey eye palette... I'm not really sure about it yet..." She looked up at him, batting her eyelashes slowly for effect. "I hope it goes okay with my dress..."

"Uhh, yeah..." Kuranosuke nodded enthusiastically. "You actually look really nice."

"Oh wow!" Ayane blushed and squeezed his arm. "A compliment from Kura-kun! This look must really be working for me after all!"

"Yeah, so, wanna get some coffee and maybe a snack? I didn't actually eat breakfast or anything today."

"Sure thing, Rarities is actually pretty close to that cafe you always want to go to."

"Even better!" Kuranosuke picked up his pace, basically dragging Ayane along with him. Just as it had been weeks since he had last spent time with his school friends, it had been weeks since he had last enjoyed his favorite iced matcha latte.

.

"So, what are you going to be doing in school next semester?" Ayane asked, as they sat down in the café. Kuranosuke found himself laughing nervously. He hadn't put any thought into the next school semester yet and would probably end up with all of the worst classes if he didn't act soon. Ayane sighed. "You never take anything seriously, Kura-kun... Aren't you worried about the future at all?"

"Well yeah, of course..." Kuranosuke shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think I've been doing lately?"

"I honestly don't know, you never update any of your social media, you don't talk to anyone... what have you been doing? And don't give me that crap about opening your own fashion line, Kuranosuke. You've told me a million times in the past that it would never work out if we tried..."

"It's different now, Ayane-chan..." Kuranosuke looked down at his sandwich to avoid her stare.

"How is it different? Because of that girl who draws jellyfish and all of her NEET friends?" Kuranosuke looked up just in time to see her roll her eyes. "I just don't understand what's been up with you these days..."

"Those NEETs are my friends, and..." Kuranosuke bit his lip and paused. He wasn't sure how to phrase the next part without hurting Ayane's feelings at least a little bit, but she had to know. "Yes, Tsukimi makes it different, Ayane. It's like we're not just making any old dresses or skirts... We're making something new, and with a purpose... It's just...different, you know?"

Both were silent for a minute or two after that. Kuranosuke stirred his drink with his straw and picked at his sandwich while Ayane stared down at the table.

"I'm sorry, Ayane-chan..." Kuranosuke said, finally breaking the silence after what felt like much longer than it actually was. "I know you've always wanted to start your own line, and you can... I just can't be part of it."

"It's fine, I need to focus on school first anyway, you know..." Ayane sipped her tea. "You really should get your classes set up and get your supplies, though... It won't be summer forever."

"I know," Kuranosuke said, laughing to try to lighten the mood. "I'll get it done soon, otherwise my dad will be breathing down my neck about it..."

"Well, someone has to... it's not like you've ever been a very motivated student..."

"Hey! I go to school most of the time..."

"Yeah, to socialize... I don't think I've ever seen you study."

"Alright, you've got me there. I only ever do my homework when dad or Shu make me... but like, who cares? It's not like I want to be a politician or anything."

"You know what?" Ayane was smirking and Kuranosuke could tell before she said anything that he was about to be teased, but he was glad that they weren't arguing anymore.

He sighed dramatically. "What?"

"It's a real good thing you're so pretty. And you come from a rich family. Ahh, man..." Ayane stretched. "You're lucky, Kura-kun."

"Wow, thanks... You know, it's not like I am failing or anything? Just because I'm not a nerd about it doesn't mean I don't do okay in school..."

"I'm not a nerd..."

"There's nothing wrong with being a nerd..." Kuranosuke laughed. "I mean, at least you're a pretty nerd."

"What? One little compliment and I'm supposed to forgive you for teasing me or something?" Ayane shook her head. "You're gonna have to try harder than that.."

"You think I'm done teasing you? I haven't seen you in weeks, there's a lot of lost time to make up for..." Kuranosuke swirled the remaining latte around in his cup. "Are you almost ready to go? After we check out this new store, there are some other places that I haven't been to for awhile."

"Sure!" Ayane practically jumped out of her seat. "Do you want me to take your plate for you?"

"Nah, I've got it..." Kuranosuke stood too and they walked towards the trash cans by the exit together.

* * *

 _AN: Yeah, I introduced an OC. She isn't too important, I just wanted to get Kuranosuke out a bit. Next chapter is all about Tsukimi and the Amars again! Also, sorry about the kind of weird formatting of section breaks. I just wanted an extra space between those small time skips, not a full line. Lines feel like very hard breaks to me, and I wanted something softer, if that makes sense._ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	7. Room for Rent

**Chapter Seven**

On Saturday morning, Tsukimi struggled to find the necessary motivation to get out of bed. She felt like she had tossed and turned all night. As a result she was feeling extra groggy, but she didn't want to be the last of the Amars to get up. She could hear footsteps and some quiet chatter coming from the rest of the house. Finally, her fear of being perceived as lazy beat her desire to stay curled up in her blanket. As she left her room, she was hit with the delicious smell of bacon that had travelled from downstairs. _Breakfast_ , Tsukimi thought, as her stomach reacted to the smell with a low grumble, _that's just what I need!_

"Good morning,Tsukimi," Chieko greeted her as she entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the table working on something on her laptop, and Banba was at the stove. As she flipped the bacon in the pan, it sizzled and there was a loud pop.

"Good morning Chieko, Banba," Tsukimi replied as she made her way to the fridge.

"I'm making plenty of bacon and eggs for everyone," Banba said. So, instead of foraging for breakfast,Tsukimi pulled out the milk and went to grab a glass from the cupboard.

"I'll make some toast," Chieko added, closing her laptop and standing up. "I need a break from that anyway... the nerve of some people, you girls would not even believe the kind of requests I have been receiving."

"What are you working on?" Tsukimi moved to the side so Chieko could reach the cupboard that held the toaster.

"I've been looking through the applications again... you would think the prospect of Amamizukan being redeveloped into a shopping mall would be a deterrent, but there are still so many people applying to live here."

"Are you declining all of them?" Tsukimi asked, holding her glass steady as she filled it with the deliciously cold milk.

Chieko slid open the lid of the bread box and pulled out a loaf of sliced bread. "So far. Even if it is just a temporary arrangement, they still have to comply with the rules of Amamizukan... And it's hard to find girls with the right personality these days...There are so many loud, unruly characters who think we would let them in just because they are women and are obsessed with something..."

"So, you do want to rent out the spare room?"

"There was this one applicant I liked, but she has a cat... and I don't think she could be convinced to part with him." Chieko sighed. "Out of the dozens I've looked through so far, she's the only applicant with the right personality. But I have a few more to look over after breakfast, if you'd like to help."

"Of course!" Tsukimi placed her glass on the counter and straightened her posture. She lifted her arm up in salute. "Tsukimi-chan reporting for duty; anything to serve Amamizukan!" Chieko nodded in delight at her enthusiasm and Tsukimi relaxed and put the gallon of milk away. Then she went back to the cupboards and got out plates and cups to set the table.

Mayaya and Jiji came downstairs right as Banba declared the bacon ready to eat-according to her, it was perfectly cooked. Crisp without being brittle. She had also scrambled some eggs and chieko had set out toast and jam.

"Thank you," Jiji said, taking her seat.

Mayaya sniffed the air loudly and looked over the breakfast. "A feast to fuel any battles we may face today! Thank you!"

After eating and clearing away the dishes, the Amars gathered around Chieko and her laptop at one side of the table. Chieko scrolled through her inbox, found an applicant, and downloaded her application for review. Before they opened the downloaded attachment though, there was a quiet knock at the door.

"Are we expecting a visitor?" Chieko looked around at the Amars, but they all seemed confused.

"Careful, Chieko-sama!" Mayaya called out as Chieko rose from her seat and headed toward the entrance hall. "Our enemies could have set up a trap!"

"It's okay, Mayaya," Chieko assured her calmly. "I'll see who it is and get rid of them." She left the room. The girls listened silently as the door opened. Then they heard Chieko's voice. "Ohhh, Kurako dear," they heard, and Tsukimi saw that they all visibly relaxed. "What are you doing knocking at our door?" Chieko asked. "Don't you normally just barge in?"

Tsukimi hurried into the entrance hall. Kuranosuke hadn't been around for days-he must have still been angry about last time.

"Tsukimi, uh... good morning!" He was still standing outside. "May I come in?" he asked, glancing down at Chieko, who was still holding the door open.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked, rolling her eyes. She released the door and headed back into the kitchen. Kuranosuke stepped inside.

Tsukimi noticed Kuranosuke's odd behavior. _He_ _ **is**_ _still mad at me_ , she thought. "I'm sorry," she said, stepping forward. She bowed her head and could feel tears fighting against the corners of her eyes. Her chest felt tight and she knew if she didn't apologize quickly, she would soon be unable to speak. "I understand if you're mad at me, I must do so many annoying things without even realizing. All I ever do is bore you with talk about jellyfish and force you to work on designs for hours and keep you from ever going home and seeing your family. I'm sorry. If... if you can find it in your heart to look past my flaws and forgive me, please, I really want to make jellyfish dresses with you and save Amamizukan!" Now she was actually crying. She lowered her head more and hoped Kuranosuke couldn't see.

"Tsukimi..." Her eyes were shut tight in her effort to hold back her tears, but she could hear the click of his heels against the tile as he stepped forward. "Tsukimi, what's going on? What makes you think I'm mad at you?"

"Because..." Tsukimi's voice faltered. "You left, and you didn't come back,and now you're here, but you're acting all strange..." Tsukimi began sobbing. "I'm sorry," she said, through bursts of tears and loud, heaving sobs.

"Whoa, whoa, Tsukimi!" Kuranosuke stepped forward again,and she could feel his lean arms wrapping around her shoulders. He pulled her tear-soaked, snotty face against his padded chest and she felt herself freeze up. She could feel the warmth of his chest and hear his heart beating, and she could smell the perfume he was wearing-it was light and floral with undernotes of something sweet. "Tsukimi, I'm not mad at you. I'm sorry..."

She continued to cry, but her breathing evened out and the sobs were subsiding.

"Tsukimi..." Kuranosuke was patting her shoulder rhythmically. "I didn't think you wanted me barging in and hanging around all the time... I thought I was making you and the other girls uncomfortable... I'm sorry, this is my fault... I guess I misunderstood your feelings."

Tsukimi pulled away from him enough that she could raise a hand to her face and rub the remaining tears out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, I overreacted and I messed up your dress and..."

Kuranosuke interrupted her with a low laugh and pulled her back into a tight hug before he released her completely. "It's okay, Tsukimi. I can have the dress cleaned. It's no big deal."

"B-but..."

"Tsukimi, I'm sorry I left in a bad mood last time... I'm the one who overreacted, and I hurt your feelings. I want to make jellyfish dresses too, and I like hearing about them and being here and everything..."

Tsukimi rubbed at her eyes again. Kuranosuke was blushing and staring at something behind her. She turned her head and saw that the Amars were watching them. They looked worried. Tsukimi adjusted her glasses and straightened her posture. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she called to the other Amars. "Don't worry about me. I don't know what came over me, but I'm fine now!"

The Amars were still for a moment and then they turned and went back into the kitchen.

"Sorry..." Tsukimi said, turning back to Kuranosuke.

"No, no... it's fine..." Kuranosuke smiled, but Tsukimi didn't find it very reassuring.

 _How embarrassing_ , she thought, cringing. _How could I let myself get so emotional in front of everyone... in front of Kuranosuke, even..._ She felt like pulling her hair at or hitting herself for being so dumb, but she didn't want to look even more crazy.

"So, what's everyone up to? Smells like breakfast..."

"We finished eating awhile ago, we just haven't washed the dishes... why, are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"

"N-no... I'm good..." It occurred to Tsukimi that her behavior had unsettled Kuranosuke. He adjusted his wig and straightened out the sleeves of his dress. "Do you... Uh... Do you still want to take some designs to Nisha today?"

"Oh, right!" Tsukimi nodded. Then she glanced toward the kitchen. "I offered to help out with some Amamizukan stuff, but let me check, they might not need me!" She turned and hurried back into the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the laptop again, but they didn't seem to be doing anything. _I must have shocked them too..._

Kuranosuke followed her into the kitchen. "Hi everyone..." He lifted his hand in a halfhearted wave, but the girls didn't respond.

"They'll be okay," Chieko said, shrugging. "But I don't think they are going to be very helpful with the applications in this state..." She closed her laptop again.

"Applications?" Kuranosuke asked, glancing between Tsukimi and Chieko. "Are you guys looking for jobs or something?"

"NO."

"Oh, uh... okay..." Kuranosuke was blushing again. "Sorry, Chieko, I didn't mean to... offend anyone..."

"We're screening applicants for the open room here at Amamizukan," Tsukimi explained.

"Open room?"

"Yes," Chieko answered. "I stopped looking at the applications back when we thought mother was going to sell Amamizukan, but now that everything has settled down, I think we could use the extra income of another renter..."

"Let me rent the room," Kuranosuke blurted out, and Tsukimi could feel herself freezing up _._

"You? Live here? At Amamizukan?" Chieko laughed. "I don't..."

"Think of all the meat!" Banba cried out, suddenly returning to life. "Kurako could bring us steaks for dinner all the time!"

"Err..." Kuranosuke bit his lip. "I guess, yeah, I could help out with the groceries and everything, yeah... and the rent. I'm sure I could afford it, whatever it is, I could even pay extra..."

Tsukimi looked around. The Amars were suddenly looking at each other and quietly discussing this turn of events. _I have to stop him_ , she thought. _But how? I can't let them know why he can't really live here, so I have to think of something else..._

"I need to talk to you. Upstairs." She straightened her back and walked out of the kitchen, heading towards her room. The click of his heels as he walked assured her that he was following her.

As soon as they were both in her room, she slammed her door. "You idiot!"

"What?" Kuranosuke's eyes were wide and his cheeks were visibly red. "Tsukimi, is everything okay?"

"You can't live here! Are you insane? Do you want us to be killed?"

"Killed..." Kuranosuke laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"The rule," she whispered, leaning in. "No men. Punishable by death. You can't live here, you will get caught and they'll murder me! Or at the very least, they'll kick me out!"

"Tsukimi, come on..." Kuranosuke spoke, his voice loud compared to her whisper. "They aren't going to find out..."

"Shhh, they could hear us!"

Kuranosuke laughed. "You really take this stuff seriously, don't you?"

"This is my home... I'm not like you, I don't have some mansion to go back to if living here doesn't work out, okay? Please don't mess this up for me."

"Tsukimi..." Kuranosuke sighed. "I won't mess this up for you. I promise..."

"How do you know that? How do you plan to live here without being found out?"

"I'm here a lot already and they haven't figured it out yet... and besides, if they do catch me, none of them have ever noticed before, so is it really so hard to believe that you wouldn't have noticed either? Come on, Tsukimi... I know how it is with the Amars, if you aren't on board, they aren't going to have me here..."

"What makes you want to live here anyway?" Tsukimi shook her head. "You've seen my room. It's way too small to fit all of your stuff" She glanced around and then gestured to her sparse furniture, which filled her tiny living space in a way that was comfortable for her but completely different from the living spaces she had seen at Kuranosuke's house. "This is the kind of room you will have. You won't have your own bathroom, or any fancy furniture..." Tsukimi shook her head. "You can't live here, it just doesn't make any sense..."

"Tsukimi, please..." Kuranosuke's confident smile fell away and his voice was rough. "I don't ever want to leave Amamizukan again."

"Oh..."Tsukimi was left speechless. She tried to formulate some rebuttal, some other reason to refuse that she had not used yet, but looking into his eyes she could tell that he was serious. For whatever reason, she could tell that he was determined to stay at Amamizukan. "Okay..."


	8. The Really, Really, EXCESSIVELY Long Con

**Chapter Eight**

Three days. That's how long Kuranosuke had managed to stay away from Amamizukan and Tsukimi.

The first day had been fine. He went out all day with Ayane, and after a long session of retail therapy and being told over and over again that he was "taking things too seriously," they met up with some of their other friends for drinks. After a few drinks, Kuranosuke had caught a cab to get home and he passed out as soon as he got in bed.

The second day he slept in. Then he reorganized his room entirely. He got rid of things he didn't want, found new places to display the things he cherished most, and spent hours in his closet. He had tried on so many outfits while he sorted them-not only by function and color,but also by their personal value to him. The day passed quickly in this way, and by time he got ready for bed, he was exhausted.

The third day, however, came as a surprise-not only to himself, but also to his family. They weren't accustomed to seeing him mope around the house all day, but nothing he could think to do seemed worthwhile. Several friends texted him, but he ignored them. Shu especially seemed to be concerned and continuously approached him with suggestions. "You could go see a movie," and: "why don't you invite some friends over?" were among his suggestions, each of which Kuranosuke responded to with a sullen expression that got rid of Shu for a while.

Then, finally, it was Saturday. Kuranosuke had given Tsukimi some space and stated out of Amamizukan, and now he felt he could visit again without being overbearing and burdensome. They had made plans to visit Nisha on the weekend, and now the weekend was here.

 _I won't get carried away,_ he told himself as he laboriously chose the perfect frilly dress and accessories to match. _It is their home, I am a guest, I'll stop crossing the lines,_ he thought to himself as he applied a radiant pink blush over his favorite foundation. Finally, when he was satisfied that he looked absolutely perfect, he left his house and headed towards Amamizukan. _Today I am going to behave with perfect manners and not make Tsukimi and the Amars feel uncomfortable... I'm going to respect their boundaries and then Tsukimi won't want me to leave them alone...`_

Then, he arrived at Amamizukan and it all went to shit.

First, somehow, he made Tsukimi cry just by walking in the door. Then, when everything had sort of started to feel okay again, mere minutes after the crying stopped, he had stopped thinking, stopped controlling his behavior, and thoughtlessly suggested to Chieko that she let him rent out the spare room in Amamizukan. On the surface, it seemed like it would be a great idea. He would pay rent, he would help out around the house, and the Amars wouldn't have to always treat him with the tiring level of respect that a guest might expect to receive. Plus, he would get to see Tsukimi every day, he wouldn't have to worry about going home to clean up or change clothes, and his father would have even less control over him. It was, in his mind, perfect.

Tsukimi, he quickly learned, did not feel the same. "They'll murder me!" she had exclaimed in a frantic whisper, and he had thought of it as a joke. Now, faced with the actual application and rules for living at Amamizukan, he realized just how seriously they took all of this.

He had managed to convince Tsukimi to support him, and when they got downstairs, it was announced that the other Amars could find no reason that he shouldn't pay rent, given the frequency of his visits.

"Still," Chieko had informed him, "Mejiro-sensei will want to see your application. I've printed one out for you, along with the rules and contract you will have to sign before being admitted as a resident of Amamizukan."

"Uhh, thanks..." Kuranosuke said, taking the papers from her. He sat down at the table and they handed him a pen. Most of the questions on the application were simple, full name, age, hobbies and interests. And then there were clearly questions that the Amars had included as some sort of personality test to determine an applicant's compatibility. "What is your favorite railway?" and "Of the warriors in the Three Kingdoms, who was the bravest?"

Kuranosuke thought about the Amars and tried to supply answers they would like. Then he signed the paper that listed out the rules of Amamizukan and handed both documents to Chieko, who had been carefully watching him as though proctoring an exam.

"I'll take these up to Meijiro-sensei."

"Uh... thanks..." Kuranosuke turned to Tsukimi as Chieko left them alone. "See, this is going to be great..."

"Do you have the money to pay rent here on your own?" she asked.

"Actually, as part of an agreement with my father, I get a fairly large allowance in exchange for good grades."

"Even in the summer?"

"Yes, even in the summer."

"And he will be okay with you moving out?"

"Probably. My stepmother will be thrilled. And when she is happy, he is... slightly less unhappy."

"Kura _ko,_ " Tsukimi said slowly, extra emphasis on the feminine ending of the name, "I'm not going to stop you, but I think you moving in here is wrong. We have been..." She glanced around quickly to make sure nobody was coming. "We have been deceiving the Amars, and as though that is not bad enough, they have come to really respect and love you."

Kuranosuke thought for a moment of how he could respond, but right as he was getting ready to reassure Tsukimi, Chieko returned. She was smiling and carrying a note from Mejiro-sensei.

"Kurako is always welcome," Kuranosuke read the note aloud.

"Well, this settles it. You'll have to sign some contracts and bring me a security deposit along with your first month's rent... and then everything will be finalized. We can do that as soon as you would like."

"Tsukimi and I have a lot of work to do this weekend, so, how about I bring the check over on Monday and start moving my stuff in then?"

"And how much stuff will you be bringing?" Tsukimi asked.

Chieko, who seemed to have forgotten the sheer volume of stuff that Kuranosuke would surely be in possession of, suddenly also looked concerned.

"Not all of it, clearly. Is the room furnished at all? Can I see it?"

"Of course, it is right down the hall."

"It's downstairs?" Kuranosuke asked, thinking momentarily about how all of the other rooms were upstairs.

"Yes, it's the only one."

Chieko left the kitchen, followed by Kuranosuke and Tsukimi. The room was right where Chieko said it would be-down the hall from the kitchen, across from the living room, right next to the bathroom. She opened the door for Kuranosuke and he entered. There was a single bed, a desk, a small book case. The room had a respectably sized closet, though it was much smaller than his closet at home.

"It's nice," he said, and sat down on the bed. "Oh wow, this is hard."

"Most of us ended up getting our own beds and replacing the ones that were here..." Tsukimi pointed out.

"Yes, when Mother purchased Amamizukan, the rooms were already furnished in this way, and unless our renters changed them, they have stayed the same."

"Hey, you know... isn't this room..." Kuranosuke looked up at the ceiling.

"Right under Tsukimi's, yes. In the past, Mayaya stayed in Tsukimi's current room, and the girl who had this room at the time complained quite a bit about all of the noise. Tsukimi, however, walks much more light-footed than our energetic Mayaya-sama, so this configuration works much better."

"I promise not to be an annoying neighbor!" Tsukimi announced.

"Riiiight," Kuranosuke took a deep breath and then got up and moved over to the book case. There was a layer of dust on the top and he ran his finger through it.

"I apologize... I never expected the room to be empty for this long and I have fallen behind on its upkeep. I will make sure to clean it thoroughly before you move in."

"No,it's no problem... It looks like it mostly just needs dusting." He moved over to the desk. It didn't have a chair. "Would there be an issue if I wanted to remove all of this furniture?"

"No,of course not. We can put it all in storage just in case someone needs it in the future... But, may I ask, what do you plan on doing with the room?"

"Here," he pointed to the desk, "I am going to place my vanity. Over there," he motioned towards the bookcase, "a chest of drawers, and... of course, I will be bringing my bed."

"Okay, that sounds great. We can have this furniture taken out by Monday, and when you bring your stuff, I am sure the girls will be happy to help you bring it in. Mayaya seems to have the upper body strength of a small army."

"Oh, thank you..." Kuranosuke found himself playing with his hair. He wasn't really used to the Amars treating him so nicely. Even though she treated him with the respect expected to be given to guests, Chieko normally used a tone towards him that he felt was less than friendly. Now she was an ideal representation of helpfulness.

"Well, I have things to attend to," she said, smiling, and she left the room.

"That was strange, right?" Kuranosuke asked Tsukimi. She looked at him blankly. "How nice she was being to me, that's not how it normally is, right?"

"Kuranosuke..." Tsukimi said quietly, holding back a laugh. "You're one of us now, you know... you're an Amar."

Hearing this, Kuranosuke had to sit down. He inhaled sharply and went over to the bed.

"We are each other's allies and best friends, Kuranosuke. We are a sisterhood, and now you're part of that... _An Amar_... This is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Kuranosuke thought it over. So now they would be nicer to him. And they wouldn't freak out so much in his presence, maybe. Things would be better now, actually. "This is pretty cool."

"You're really going through with this?" Tsukimi looked away and played nervously with the end of one of her braids. "You're really going to live in Amamizukan, as a woman, full time?"

"Yep!" Kuranosuke stood up, feeling a little bit more confident in his decision. "So, wanna get to work?"

Tsukimi sighed and Kuranosuke knew she was worried about how badly things could go. _I won't let that happen_ , he assured himself.

"Sure, let's go get everything that we're going to take to Nisha ready."


End file.
